Revelations of a Runaway

10. Turning the Tides

"You must help her, Zuri. That's why you're here. That's why I'm here."

"Grandpa, what are you talking about?"

My grandfather Aang stood in front of me in a way I'd never seen him before. He was younger, and there was something otherworldly about him that I didn't quite understand. Fog drew in around us, so I could make out nothing of where I was.

"I cannot communicate with her easily. I cannot give her the help that she needs from me. But you can. You have the knowledge that she needs. You just have to find it. You're already close. Just keep searching deep inside of yourself, and everything will be clear. Your part in all of this is just as important as hers."

Grandpa Aang turned away from me and began walking. But I was confused! He couldn't leave me with so little! "Grandpa, wait!"

"Don't go!" I yelled as I jerked awake, still swimming in my sea of dreams. My eyes were still blurry with sleep, but I could tell I was on the floor somewhere. Korra's room, right? Yes, that's where I'd fallen asleep.

"Are you alright?" Mako's voice asked me quietly. Looking over, I saw him and Bo and Asami in the doorway. Quickly, I pulled my scanty blanket up. I wasn't wearing enough for company. Bo's face was bright red, and my cheeks began to burn as he turned away.

"I'm fine. Just a dream."

"You know we're just gonna let you get dressed," Bolin said quickly, shoving his brother out of the room and slamming the door behind him. Asami walked over with a sly grin on her face and helped me to my feet.

"I think you embarassed him a bit," she told me, and I nodded in agreement. The both of us laughed a little as I headed for the dresser where the remainder of my clothes sit. "How is she?"

"She's fine," I said, looking at Korra's sleeping figure. "Probably still defrosting a bit, but she's kind of used to cold weather. I think she'll be up and starving by lunch time."

Asami looked down at Korra sadly. She was worried about more than just Korra's health. I assumed she'd taken notice of Mako's behaviour. It wasn't easy to miss exactly.  I didn't what else to do except suggest we let Korra get some sleep. As Asami and I headed out the door, Mako pushed past us hurriedly which only further dampened Asami's mood.

I stopped in the hallway and forced a smile for Bolin as Asami retreated down the hallway. "How about a walk?" I  asked him quietly.

"Fresh air would be great."

The air didn't seem as fresh as it should have, but Bolin breathed in a deep breath either way and grabbed my hand with a smile. He wasn't as happy as he usually was. Perhaps he had this horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach, too. But I didn't ask him if he did or not.

Maybe we should have had a conversation about something as simple as the weather, but I just wasn't up for it. But both of us seemed content just staring across the water at the city. For a moment, I felt this small sense of peace. Sunshine and Bolin were enough to make me smile without faking it even if just for a second.

We stood out there for a while until Ikki came to tell us that Korra was up and starving, just as I knew she would be, so we went to check on her in the dining room.

"The food tastes amazing, Pema," Korra said in between stuffing her face and taking large gulps of water. "I'm finally starting to feel like myself again."

Pema expressed how glad she was that Korra was alright before taking the dishes to the kitchen. Asami jumped up from the table quickly to help her. It was hardly a moment later before my uncle was demanding the story from us both, and I had hardly sat down.

"First off, Tarlock isn't who he says he is. He's Yukon's son."

"It all makes sense now," Beifong said after she shook the surprise from her face. "That's how Tarlock was able to bloodbend us without a full moon."

Suddenly the images of what had to be Yukon's trial flooded my mind again. I guess that wasn't me going crazy after all, but still I didn't understand why I'd seen those. Maybe it had something to do with that dream I'd had earlier. Something about helping her. I'd wager that "her" meant Korra. But what was I supposed to do to help her?

It wasn't dificult to drift into my subconciousness while Korra told the rest of her tale.

I was sitting outside with Bolin when I heard the bombs go off in the city. He was saying something about Mako and Asami fighting because of him. But then the bombs and airships came, and Korra took off with Mako, Bolin, and Asami to the city. I would have gone as well, but something told me that I should stay.

Only moments later, a large airship hovered above Air Temple Island with only White Lotus members, myself, and Beifong to protect it. "Everyone hide inside and remain calm," Beifong said. She was speaking to me also, but I wouldn't cower down this time.

"I'll help you."

I'm sure she would have argued with me if she had had the time to do it. Suddenly my aunt screamed in agony and gripped her belly. The Equalists were attacking, and she was going into labor. "Not now, baby," Meelo said furiously as two acolytes hurried her inside.

In the distance, Beifong and I could her fighting, and after a while, we saw Equalists running towards us. The White Lotus with their advanced bending had been defeated already. Beifong lurched forward, grabbing the Equalists with her metal cords and slinging them into the air. She dodged their relentless attacks and bended pillars up from the earth to kick at them.

I stood there in awe of her power until one of them came for me, the same one who had injured me so badly before with those kali sticks. My nerves tingled painfully as he rushed towards me. As he stuck at me, I leapt into the air placing my hands on top of his head to give me momentum to flip behind him. He was going to turn around and attack. I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly. He dropped the kali sticks to the ground, and my body reacted before I could think of what to do next. I twisted my foot around his ankle. He pummeled down on top of the sticks, and I fell on his back to add to the pain.

I rolled over and pounced to my feet quickly. While I had dealt with one, Beifong had dealt with many. But she fell to her knees now. "Stay away from my dad's ex-girlfriend," Jinora said, sending an Equalist flying with her bending. But she wasn't alone. My other two cousins came to the rescue as well, and despite Beifong's insistance that they go inside, they were able to help us capture them all.

Uncle Tenzin and the others arrived back soon, and the welcoming of my newest cousin was interrupted by more airships heading our way. Uncle Tenzin looked down at his newborn son sadly, unsure of how the day would end, and the group made it's way outside once more.

My uncle's solution was to leave and hide. I understood where he was coming from. He had his family to think about, and Beifong agreed, saying that she would go with them and protect them. They were the last airbenders. Korra wasn't inclined to hide though. Uncle Tenzin told us then about the United Forces that were heading our way and said he would return once his family was safe. We had to get off the island.

It surprised me more than anything that he didn't try to take me with them on the flying bison to safety, but I guess by now he knew that wouldn't work so well with me. We watched them take off into the distance only for several airships to turn and chase after them. But I couldn't watch. We were being ambushed yet again. This time the White Lotus members held them off as we ran away. I followed behind Korra closely, and somehow all five of us ended up riding on Naga in the ocean as Korra bended water in a bubble around us so that we could breathe as we made our way towards the city.

I had no idea what would happen next. Everything was going too fast. So fast that I could hardly keep up. Was this what I'd signed up for the day I ran away to Republic City?